[RE-wrenches] Fake Email solar orders

[Jeff Yago]

I am wondering if any of you are receiving fake email orders as I think they are a scam by hackers in China or other countries.
 
They always start out asking for a very "odd" list of items they are looking for.  For example, they will say they will take almost any brand of solar module and any size.  They  also ask for solar pumps or inverters, but do not care what size.  If I am trying to order a pump, inverter, or solar module for a specific job, I would expect to know the size I need and not take whatever the supplier is willing to sell.
 
Also, all of these email's have a non-business email address using one of those free email services, and always indicate they have also sent the same email to others as"un-disclosed."   When we check the street address they give us, it is usually an apartment complex or residential area of a large city.   They always say right up-front that they will be paying by credit card
 
Finally, the real give-away is their grammar is never correct and they always mis-match the verb tense or there is a mis-match in subject-verb.   Here is a recent one we received  - 
 
Hello, Kindly get quoted pricing for these Grundfos well pump for us ,we would be glad for offer your discounted prices. 
LET ME KNOW THE POSSIBILITY OF THE SUPPLY AND KIND OF CREDIT CARDS YOU HOST FOR PAYMENT. MUCH REGARDS

 
I have heard these scammers are using stolen or bogus credit card numbers which are good when you check, but a few days after you ship out the solar hardware the credit card is declined.  I have also heard they ship to some apartment that is rented for a few months where the turn the orders around and ship overseas to 3rd world countries where they can get rid of almost anything that is solar with no questions asked.
 
Has anybody been stung by these fake orders, and please do not check my email grammar!!
Jeff Yago

 


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